When national assessments of the academic achievement of Oklahoma public school students are released, we are used to hearing bad news. But this past week, we received a report that should move us beyond the usual disappointment, tinged by apathy, to outrage, accompanied by urgent demands for comprehensive reform.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court is hurriedly writing a new book of constitutional law because, during this year’s session, our Legislature employed every possible means to escape the limits on the taxing power established by State Question 640. Now, we get to find out how the story ends.

After this past week, any fair observer must worry that the leaders of the Oklahoma City Public School District lack both the intellectual understanding and political skills to run the district effectively.

A scant two days after arguments on the constitutionality of the Legislature’s newly enacted smoking cessation fee, the Oklahoma Supreme Court unanimously struck down the law. The result was not surprising, but the court’s swift and forceful opinion impresses.

The experts tell us, with the exception of Jesus Christ, that more books have been written about Abraham Lincoln than anyone else. Lately, it seems that William F. Buckley Jr. is primed to compete with Honest Abe.

Have you seen the pumpkins of all shapes and sizes being unloaded and arranged at the Myriad Botanical Gardens? The Myriad Gardens Foundation is preparing for the sixth annual Pumpkinville, which will take place Oct. 6-22 at the park.